1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wafer loading system positioning method and device, particularly to a wafer loading system positioning method and device which establishes an interface between a loading system and a production equipment in a semiconductor production process.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, at production of semiconductors like wafers and flat panel displays, wafer pods are needed to transport semiconductor wafers or other substrates. Furthermore, a transporting device is used for carrying wafer pods to each production equipment to perform various working steps.
The main function of a wafer pod is to accommodate wafers and all kinds of substrates. The wafer pod is filled with clean protective gas to avoid contaminating of the wafers and substrates with air or dust. On every production equipment input and output ports are required to load wafers and substrates isolated from the environment. Furthermore, a loading device is needed as an intermediary between the wafer pod and the input and output ports of the production equipment for opening the wafer pod and placing the wafers and substrates contained therein in the input and output ports of the production equipment.
However, due to changes in the production process or order of process, often a need arises during production to exchange the loading device of the production equipment. Therefore the loading device requires the ability to be installed and positioned quickly to fulfill demands of semiconductor production flexibility.
As an SEMI standard for semiconductor production, a interface frame is set between the loading device and the production equipment. The interface frame serves to install and position the loading device. Between the interface frame and the loading device, six threaded holes for positioning are provided, allowing a user to fix the input port and the interface frame of the production equipment to each other with screws.
However, in a conventional semiconductor production facility, only screws connect the loading device and the production equipment. Therefore, for mounting the loading device, all the threaded holes have to be aligned to insert the screws. After inserting the screws, angle and position of the loading device have to be adjusted manually. Mounting and positioning of a conventional loading device for semiconductor production is therefore difficult and time consuming.
As shown in FIG. 6, in international publication No. WO 99/12191, a wafer load port is disclosed which is mainly characterized by a positioning frame 1 of the production equipment having a forward protruding positioning base 2 on a lower end. The positioning base 2 has a middle part from which a positioning bolt 3 extends upward. The positioning frame 1 allows to mount a loading device 4 thereon, so that the loading device 4 is fastened on the production equipment at an appropriate position. The loading device 4 has a rear plate 5 to be fixed on the positioning frame 1 by screws. The rear plate has a lower side carrying a holding seat 6.
Referring to FIG. 7, at a lower part of the holding seat 6 at a middle position, a holding groove 7 is cut in, to engage with an upper end of the positioning bolt 3. Between the holding seat 6 and the rear plate 5 of the positioning base 2 some free lateral motion is allowed. A projection 8 extends from an upper part of the holding seat 6 at a middle position. An eccentric cam 9 is mounted on the rear plate 5, engaging with the projection 8, so that the holding seat 6 has a movable relative position on the rear plate 5.
Referring to FIG. 8, the loading device 4 has a lower part with a base 10, on which three pairs of rolls 11, 12, 13 are mounted. The base 10 has a front end that is inclined upward, with the pair of rolls 11 in a forward position being placed relatively high and the pairs of rolls 12, 13 in rear positions being placed relatively low. Thus, when a user docks the loading device 4 on the positioning frame 1, she or he presses down the front end of the base 10, inclining the loading device 4 forward and raising the holding seat 6, mounted on the rear side of the rear plate 5, allowing the holding groove 7 to engage with the positioning bolt 3. Then the user pushes the positioning frame 1 rearward, so that the rear plate 5 leans against the positioning frame 1 and the holding seat 6 is held on the positioning bolt 3.
The positioning bolt 3 on a lower part thereof is threaded to be screwed on the positioning base 2. This allows the positioning bolt 3 by turning to be adjusted vertically to the loading device 4. By turning the eccentric cam 9, the lateral position of the holding seat 6 is changed, adjusting the loading device 4 horizontally to the positioning frame 1.
Although the cited publication improves on the shortcoming of difficult positioning of conventional wafer load port and increases the speed of docking the loading device on the production equipment, the following disadvantages in use remain:
1. The holding seat 6 and the positioning bolt 3 are placed on the lower part of the loading device 4, hidden on the rear side of the rear plate 5. Thus the holding seat 6 and the positioning bolt 3, though allowing to adjust the relative vertical and horizontal positions of the loading device 4 and the positioning frame 1, are difficult to access, making the adjusting work cumbersome.
2. When connecting the holding seat 6 and the positioning bolt 3, the front end of the base 10 of the loading device 4 needs to be pressed down to raise the rear end thereof to allow the holding groove 7 to engage with the positioning bolt 3. Careless handling will cause the loading device to topple and to be damaged.
For the above reasons, conventional loading systems for semiconductor wafer and substrates have many inconvenient features, and there is evidently a need for improvement.
The main object of the present invention is to provide a wafer loading system positioning method and device allowing fast positioning and lifting a loading device for docking thereof on a production equipment.
The present invention mainly comprises: a lifting mechanism, mounted on the lower part of the loading device, allowing a user to lift the loading device to a controlled height; a connecting seat, mounted on an upper end of a positioning frame of a production equipment; a positioning element, protruding upward from the connecting seat; a holding seat, mounted on the upper end of the loading device and having a lower end with a holding groove for engaging with the positioning element; a vertical adjusting device and a horizontal adjusting device, respectively mounted on the connecting seat and on the holding seat for adjusting the position of the loading device relative to the production equipment; and an inclination adjusting device, mounted on a rear plate on a high middle position thereof for adjusting an angle which determines a gap between the loading device and the production equipment.
In this assembly, the lifting mechanism raises the loading device, so that the holding groove on the holding seat is lifted above the positioning element on the connecting seat, bringing the holding seat and the connecting seat readily into positions for engaging.
The present invention can be more fully understood by reference to the following description and accompanying drawings. The horizontal and vertical adjusting devices and the inclination adjusting device have positions that are directly adjustable using tools, facilitating positioning of the loading device.